Preparing Patients for Treatment — RN and Allied Health Lecture

Tammy Allred, RN, OCN

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
UNC School of Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Lecture Description

When a patient has received the life-changing news, she or he can feel overwhelmed by the need to digest the diagnosis while understanding and making decisions about sometimes rather complex treatment options. How do we plan and schedule the education for new chemo patients in a timely manner prior to the first day of chemo? What can we do to help the patient understand how the drugs work, what symptoms they can expect, and how they can deal with those symptoms?

Lecture Objectives:

• Describe the emotional impact of a new cancer diagnosis on a patient’s ability to correctly interpret education.
• Discuss how to coach through patient with decision making in treatment decisions.
• Recall how to effectively communicate important information related to the new diagnosis, treatment options and how new treatments may affect the patient’s overall well-being and lifestyle.